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Take a black and white journey through southern Alberta with the Leica Q2 Monochrom, courtesy of our team at DPReview TV. We knew Canada was cold, but penguins?
View the Leica Q2 Monochrom sample gallery
Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)
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Leica has introduced the Q2 Monochrom, a black and white version of the Q2 – a team favorite here at DPReview. It features a designed-for-monochrome full-frame 47MP sensor that Leica claims should capture 2 additional stops of dynamic range over the Bayer version (13EV vs 11EV). The maximum ISO is 100,000, up from 50,000 on the Q2.
The Q2 Monochrom uses the same stabilized 28mm F1.7 ASPH lens as the Q2. It shares the same 3.68MP OLED EVF and touchscreen display, as well. The body is more discreet than the Q2, with a matte black and leatherette finish and no red dot. The magnesium alloy body is built as well as you’d expect from Leica and carries an IP52 rating for weather-proofing.
The camera has one-button cropping to 35, 50 and 75mm, with a drop in resolution with as you go. For those who want the unique look of black and white video, the Q2 Monochrom can capture both DCI and UHD 4K at up to 30p.
The Q2 Monochrom is available now for $ 5995.
Read our Q2 Monochrom initial review
View our pre-production sample galleryPress release
Leica Camera continues to demonstrate its commitment to the art of black and white photography with the introduction of the first-ever full frame compact camera with a monochrome sensor
November 10th, 2020 – Leica Camera makes unprecedented strides in its commitment to black and white photography with the launch of the Leica Q2 Monochrom, a new addition to the much beloved Leica Q line and the greater Leica Monochrom family. With a newly developed, full-frame monochrome sensor, a fast Leica Summilux 28 mm f/1.7 ASPH. prime lens, quick and precise autofocusing, protective weather sealing and OLED viewfinder technology, the Q2 Monochrom encompasses the outstanding performance and features of its popular Leica Q2 brethren in a model focused solely on the art of black and white photography – delivering unprecedented image quality and creative focus.
Black and white photography is an unrivalled art form. Memorializing more than just the decisive moment – black and white photographs evoke the emotion and the essence of unforgettable and irreplaceable moments. The new Leica Q2 Monochrom is the newest chapter in the Leica Monochrom story, offering photographers the experience of making black and white photographs through the lens of a full-frame, compact camera dedicated to black and white photography in its purest form.
The Leica Q2 Monochrom features a newly developed 47.3 megapixel full frame sensor based on its sibling model, though in line with its Leica Monochrom forebears the sensor has seen the purposeful omission of the color filter array to give it added light gathering potential and increased sharpness in true black and white. With a maximum ISO climbing higher – up to 100,000 – the Q2 Monochrom can see and capture immense detail and tonality in settings that have barely enough light even for the human eye. The end result is a compact camera that while expanding the Monochrom offerings from Leica, and bringing another black and white imaging stalwart to the family, also yields the most accessibility to this acclaimed formula of black and white perfection – for use in any and all situations the user may want to create monochromatic wonder.
The autofocus system locks on in less than 0.15 seconds and makes it one of the fastest cameras in its class. Ongoing improvements to the processor from the Maestro family have enabled an impressive 10 frames per second burst shooting rate at even full resolution that ensures the truly wonderful moments in life will never be missed. The range of creative options has also been expanded by the new video capabilities with 4K resolution. Brilliant, black-and-white video recordings can be made in 3840 x 2160 resolution and frame rates of 30 or 24 fps or, alternatively, in the familiar full-HD 1080p format with 120, 60, 30 or 24 fps – all with manual creative control at the fingertips of the user.
The Leica Q2 Monochrom’s ‘Made in Germany’ seal of quality guarantees that only the finest and most resilient materials are used in its construction. The camera’s classically textured leatherette ensures an optimal interplay of form and functionality – with matte black paint, grey and white engravings, elegant ”MONOCHROM” lettering on the top and the omission of the red Leica logo for unobtrusive shooting. The unique, intuitive operating concept of the Leica Q2 has been maintained, helping newcomers and existing owners alike feel at home right away through its ease-of-use. The menu has been streamlined and adapted even further to the special features of a monochrome camera. All color settings have been omitted and the menu has only been supplemented with settings for toning black-and-white images (blue, sepia, selenium).
A range of premium leather accessories are also available for the Leica Q2 Monochrom, including camera protector cases, carrying straps, bags and wrist straps in a variety of different colors. Additional technical equipment accessories pair perfectly with the new camera such as the Leica SF 40, SF 60 flash units, the SF C1 remote flash control unit, an additional thumb rest and a new handgrip that perfectly matches the body. Three new E49 color filters in yellow, green and orange, for direct contrast control right from the lens of the camera, are available for purchase as well. And when on the go, the Leica FOTOS app keeps the photographer connected to the Q2 Monochrom for mobile sharing and uploading their black and white creations.
The Leica Q2 Monochrom is available for order at Leica Stores, Boutiques and Dealers for $ 5,995 starting today.
| Price | |
|---|---|
| MSRP | $ 5995 |
| Body type | |
| Body type | Large sensor compact |
| Body material | Magnesium alloy |
| Sensor | |
| Max resolution | 8368 x 5584 |
| Image ratio w:h | 3:2 |
| Effective pixels | 47 megapixels |
| Sensor photo detectors | 50 megapixels |
| Sensor size | Full frame (36 x 24 mm) |
| Sensor type | CMOS |
| Color filter array | None |
| Image | |
| ISO | Auto, 100-100000 |
| Image stabilization | Optical |
| Uncompressed format | RAW |
| File format |
|
| Optics & Focus | |
| Focal length (equiv.) | 28 mm |
| Optical zoom | 1× |
| Maximum aperture | F1.7 |
| Autofocus |
|
| Digital zoom | Yes (1.2x (35mm equiv), 1.5x (50mm equiv), 2x (75mm)) |
| Manual focus | Yes |
| Normal focus range | 30 cm (11.81″) |
| Macro focus range | 17 cm (6.69″) |
| Number of focus points | 49 |
| Focal length multiplier | 1× |
| Screen / viewfinder | |
| Articulated LCD | Fixed |
| Screen size | 3″ |
| Screen dots | 1,040,000 |
| Touch screen | Yes |
| Screen type | TFT LCD |
| Live view | Yes |
| Viewfinder type | Electronic |
| Viewfinder coverage | 100% |
| Viewfinder magnification | 0.76× |
| Viewfinder resolution | 3,686,000 |
| Photography features | |
| Minimum shutter speed | 60 sec |
| Maximum shutter speed | 1/2000 sec |
| Maximum shutter speed (electronic) | 1/40000 sec |
| Exposure modes |
|
| Built-in flash | No |
| External flash | Yes (via hotshoe) |
| Flash X sync speed | 1/500 sec |
| Continuous drive | 20.0 fps |
| Self-timer | Yes (2 or 12 secs) |
| Metering modes |
|
| Exposure compensation | ±3 (at 1/3 EV steps) |
| AE Bracketing | ±3 (3 frames at 1/3 EV steps) |
| Videography features | |
| Format | MPEG-4, H.264 |
| Modes |
|
| Microphone | Stereo |
| Speaker | Mono |
| Storage | |
| Storage types | SD/SDHC/SDXC (UHS-II supported) |
| Connectivity | |
| USB charging | No |
| HDMI | No |
| Microphone port | No |
| Headphone port | No |
| Wireless | Built-In |
| Wireless notes | 802.11b/g/n + Bluetooth |
| Remote control | Yes (via smartphone) |
| Physical | |
| Environmentally sealed | Yes (IP52 rated) |
| Battery | Battery Pack |
| Battery description | BP-SCL4 |
| Battery Life (CIPA) | 350 |
| Weight (inc. batteries) | 734 g (1.62 lb / 25.89 oz) |
| Dimensions | 130 x 80 x 92 mm (5.12 x 3.15 x 3.62″) |
| Other features | |
| Orientation sensor | Yes |
| Timelapse recording | Yes |
| GPS | None |
Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)
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Leica’s black-and-white-only variant of the Q2 has just arrived, and what better time to shoot monochrome than late fall? Take a look at some samples captured with a pre-production Q2 Monochrom, including some Raw conversions that highlight the camera’s outstanding flexibility for post-processing.
Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)
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It was perhaps only a matter of time before Leica made a monochrome-only version of its popular Q2, and here it is! The Q2 Monochrom is a stealthy, niche camera aimed at black and white enthusiasts, and we’ve had one in our hands for a few days. Read on for all the details.
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Contrary to some of the opinions occasionally posted in comments, making a dedicated monochromatic sensor is not a simple matter of just removing the color filter layer. While the base silicon of the Q2M’s sensor is the same as the conventional Q2, Leica has redesigned the microlens array, to account for the different thickness of the optical stack.
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The removal of the color filter layer means that the Q2M’s sensor captures pure detail, without any need for interpolation (basically, the clever process by which neighboring RGB values get turned into a single full-colored pixel).
It also makes the sensor more efficient from a light-gathering point of view, since no light is lost to any color filters (the Q2M’s maximum ISO is 100,000 compared to 50,000 from the conventional Q2), and results in a claimed ~2EV improvement in terms of low light image quality and dynamic range, but it’s unlikely to be that simple (we’d expect a benefit of more like +1EV) and it’s something we want to test that as soon as possible.
And before you suggest it, yes, dedicated mono cameras are more than just a gimmick.
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The Leica Q2M uses the same 11-element Summilux Asph 28mm F1.7 as its predecessors, and Leica assures us that while the lens has been around for a while, it’s more than capable of meeting the resolution potential of the monochrome sensor. If you’ve ever used a Q or Q2 you’ll know the deal here, but this is a fixed lens, with a large focusing tab, and an easy-to-use switch to move the lens into a close-focus range. While the Q2M’s autofocus performance is very good, this is also one of the best manual focusing experiences (despite actually being ‘focus by wire’) that you’ll find on a modern camera.
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You’ve probably already got the message, but functionally, the Q2 Monochrom really is just a Q2 with a modified sensor. That means it shares the same control layout (updated over the original Q) with a touch-sensitive rear LCD. One thing to note is that the Q2M launches with the same features that were added to the Q2 in FW 2.0. That’s things like a redesigned menu system including a ‘quick touch’ interface and the addition of exposure control in video.
Like the Q2, the Q2M is dust and moisture-sealed, and is IP 52 rated.
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One of the biggest upgrades in the Q2 compared to the original Q was in the viewfinder, which moved away from the field-sequential technology used previously, in favor of OLED. While the 3.68M-dot panel (with 0.76X magnification) in the Q2 and now the Q2M is fairly standard for high-end cameras at this point, it’s still a great experience, offering a crisp, contrasty and detailed view. One small disappointment remains: there’s almost no eye-relief and the optically flat glass panel can create distracting reflections in some conditions.
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The Q2 Monochrom’s BP-SCL4 battery is the same as the Q2 and should give comparable battery life. The BP-SCL4 is rated for 350 shots (CIPA) and in normal use, we’ve found that you can expect at least this many, and usually more images per charge, provided you stick to stills capture.
The small door on the opposite side of the baseplate (lower in this image) conceals a single SD card slot. The Q2M can be used with standard SD cards and faster UHS-II versions, but there’s no performance benefit to using UHS-II.
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And that’s it, really. The Q2 Monochrom is exactly what it sounds like: a monochrome version of the Q2. The only major difference is the modified sensor, but you’ll probably also have noticed that there is no color anywhere on the camera either. There’s no red dot on the front, and all markings are shades of gray on black. As such, the Q2M is one of the most discreet cameras around, almost as discreet as the taped-up M6 shown on the left in the image above.
The Q2 Monochrom will begin shipping immediately, at an MSRP of $ 5,995.
Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)
Our team at DPReview TV wanted a monochrome version of the Leica Q2 and they got it. Is this a case of ‘be careful what you wish for’? Nope. As Chris explains in our hands-on review, the Q2 might just be his new favorite camera.
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Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)
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Product shots: Dan Bracaglia
The Leica Q2 Monochrom is Leica’s latest dedicated black-and-white camera, joining the M Monochrom and the M10 Monochrom manual-focus rangefinders. The Q2 Monochrom has a 47MP sensor that only produces black and white images, a fixed 28mm F1.7 ASPH lens with 17cm (6.7 in) macro mode and a claim of better dynamic range and noise performance compared to the color Q2. The Q2 Monochrom certainly won’t be for everyone, but for dedicated black-and-white shooters there is a lot to love about this camera.
Jump to:
What’s new | Body and handling | First impressions | Sample gallery
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| Out-of-camera JPEG. ISO 6400 | 1/30 sec | F9 Photo by Jeanette D Moses |
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The one significant difference between the Q2 and Q2 Monochrom cameras is, as you’d expect, the ‘specially designed’ 47MP sensor that comes without a color filter array (CFA). On color digital cameras, the CFA filters incoming light so that each photosite captures information on either red, green or blue light, and the camera’s processor interpolates that data to produce a full-color image.
On the Q2 Monochrom, there’s no CFA, so each photosite captures a single ‘true’ tone, with no loss of resolution through interpolation. And, because CFAs absorb some incoming light, the lack of one means the ISO sensitivity of the Q2 Monochrom gets a boost when compared to the color Leica Q2.
From an aesthetics standpoint the Q2 Monochrom has a more discreet design when compared to its color counterpart and a slightly simplified menu interface.
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| Out-of-camera JPEG. ISO 800 | 1/500 sec | F2.8 Photo by Jeanette D Moses |
Compared to the M10 Monochrom, the Q2 Monochrom is a much simpler and easier camera to operate, thanks primarily to its electronic viewfinder and reliable autofocus. The downside is that you’re stuck with the 28mm lens on the Q2 Monochrom (though there are some crop modes we’ll discuss a bit later). The price points of these two black-and-white cameras are… well, high. The M10 Monochrom costs $ 8295 USD for only the body, whereas the Q2 Monochrom comes in at $ 5995 USD.
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| Leica Q2 Monochrom | Leica M10 Monochrom | Fujifilm X100V | |
|---|---|---|---|
| MSRP (body) | $ 5995 | $ 8295 | $ 1399 |
| Sensor | 47MP full-frame monochromatic | 41MP full-frame monochromatic |
26MP APS-C |
| Type | Fixed-lens | Rangefinder interchangeable lens | Fixed-lens |
| ISO range (native) | 100-100000 | 160-100000 | 100-25600 |
| Viewfinder type | 3.69M-dot OLED electronic | Rangefinder optical | 3.69M-dot OLED electronic / optical |
| LCD | 3” fixed | 3″ fixed | 3″ tilting |
| Touch-screen | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Included flash | No | No | Built-in |
| Weather-sealing | Yes, IP52 rated | No | No |
| Max. burst | 20fps (elec. shutter) | 4.5 fps | 20 fps (elec. shutter) |
| Max. shutter, mech | electronic | 1/2000 | 1/40000 | 1/4000 | N/A | 1/4000 | 1/32000 |
| Video | 4K/30p, 1080/120p | N/A | 4K/30p, 1080/120p |
| Battery life (CIPA) | 350 shots | ~210 shots (based on color M10) | 420 shots |
| Dimensions | 130 x 80 x 92 mm | 139 x 39 x 80 mm | 128 x 75 x 53 mm |
| Weight | 734 g | 660 g | 478 g |
But if price is a blocker, the Fujifilm X100V is a camera that is conceptually similar, but much more affordable. The X100V shoots in color, but thanks to Fujifilm’s film simulation modes you can set it to see the world in monochrome (albeit not at the same resolution possible with a dedicated mono sensor). The X100V has a fixed 35mm (equivalent) F2 lens instead of the 28mm lens F1.7 lens and a smaller APS-C sensor, but it also only costs $ 1399 (MSRP).
It’s also worth mentioning the $ 899 (MSRP) Ricoh GR III, which also offers an APS-C sensor, but it has a 28mm-equivalent lens that matches the field of view of the Leica. It’s a great pocket camera, but be aware that it doesn’t include a viewfinder (an optical finder is available but there’s no provision for an EVF) and battery life is on the short side.
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| The command dial on the right has a center button that can be customized with a variety of functions. |
The Leica Q2 Monochrom has a discreet subtle black and neutral gray body to match the monochromatic images that it captures and is wrapped in a classic grained leatherette. Leica has removed the iconic ‘red dot’ Leica badge and the engraved script on the top of the camera. Inscriptions on the lens and the shutter speed dial are all gray and white-on-black, and the camera’s name is engraved around the hot shoe.
The ergonomics and button layout are identical to the Leica Q2. On the top of the camera you’ll find the power switch and shutter button, a shutter speed dial for selecting full stop shutter speeds and a command dial for selecting third-stop shutter speeds. On the back of the camera you’ll find a four-way controller, a 3″ fixed touchscreen, and the Play, Menu and Function buttons.
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| The controls on the Q2 Monochrom are pared back and basic, but in a refreshing way. |
The Function button is customizable, and can be quickly reassigned to another function with a ‘long press.’ During my time with the Q2 Monochrom I kept this button set to swap between the EVF and the LCD screen (the eye sensor to auto-switch was pretty sensitive, even with the sensitivity set to ‘low’). Above the LCD you will find the camera’s diopter, which can be pressed in to prevent accidental adjustments, and a rear button that sits directly below the shutter speed dial.
By default this button is set to activate digital crops within the camera, but can be customized to be an exposure or focus lock as well. The in-camera crops can be made at 35mm, 50mm and 75mm, but retains the full image when shooting in Raw. A rangefinder-style frame appears within the EVF to show you what will be included in the cropped frame (but those crops can’t fill the EVF). The Q2 Monochrom features the same subtle indent on the right hand side as the color Q2, which ends up being a very comfortable place to rest your thumb while shooting.
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On the bottom of the camera you will find a single SD card slot and the battery door. The Q2 Monochrom uses the BP-SCL4 battery found in the Leica SL and is CIPA rated to 350 shots per charge. In use, you can expect far more shots than that, though lots of playback and Wi-Fi use are big battery drains. In our experience (which includes switching the camera off between shots), we found the battery would easily last a couple of days of moderate shooting.
The Leica Q2 Monochrom’s fixed 28mm F1.7 lens has 11 elements including three aspherical ones, which is a pretty complex optical formula. The lens can be clicked into macro mode to shoot closeup photos as close as 17cm (6.7in). The updated 3.68M dot OLED is incredibly bright and gives you an accurate live view of the black-and-white images without having to remove the camera from your eye. However, there’s not much in the way of an eyecup on the Q2 Monochrome, so glasses-wearers might struggle a bit with it.
Overall the camera feels very good when it’s slung over your shoulder, wrapped around your wrist or up to your eye making pictures.
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The Q2 Monochrom is lightweight, easy to use, and since the lens is fixed to the camera there’s no fretting about what camera gear you’re bringing when you leave the house. It has a quiet shutter and the understated body design makes it great for shooting in public without having to have a conversation about your Leica.
In a different era, I would love to see what this camera could do at a low-light rock show
Overall, the Q2 Monochrom has an excellent design, an easy to navigate menu system and dependable autofocus. As soon as I popped a memory card into the Q2 Monochrom I couldn’t wait to start shooting.
Of course, a camera like the Fujifilm X100V set to the Acros film simulation will give you a similar shooting experience for a fraction of the price (so long as you like the 35mm equivalent focal length), and with that camera you still have the option to process your Raw files in color. So why wouldn’t you stick with that? Why get a monochromatic camera at all?
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| Out-of-camera JPEG in 75mm crop mode. ISO 200 | 1/250 sec | F1.7 Photo by Jeanette D Moses |
Well, the Q2 Monochrom offers full-frame image quality, and a significant increase in pixel-level resolution, thanks to how the sensor and processing work. From a purely creative perspective, I’ve found that eliminating color as an option altogether has a positive impact on me creatively, too. Put simply, this is a camera that allows photographers to focus on the basics: how light, shadow, and action interact to create an image.
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The three customizable buttons on the Q2 Monochrom are a smart design choice and offer a lot of flexibility depending on a photographer’s needs. The fact that the Q2 Monochrom has weather and dust-sealing is also a selling-point. Fall weather in New York City is known to be unpredictable, and it was reassuring to know that the Q2 could stand up to a little bit of moisture when the skies inevitably opened up. The autofocus makes it faster and easier to use than the manual-focus M10 Monochrom and creates a shooting experience that is more approachable for all levels of photographers.
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| Out-of-camera JPEG. ISO 640 | 1/125 sec | F4 Photo by Jeanette D Moses |
I loved the subtle tonality shifts in the images that I shot with the Leica Q2 Monochrom. The camera’s noise characteristics at high ISO paired with that fast lens make this a great choice for shooting late at night. I used Auto ISO, meaning the camera picks the ISO value and I picked the aperture and shutter speed settings.
Even letting the camera select the ISO for me, it rarely veered into the highest ISO range, but images shot at ISO 12500 don’t exhibit that much noise or grain. In a different era, when it was safe to gather inside poorly lit and ventilated spaces, I would have loved to see what this camera could do in a low-light setting of a rock show.
The flexibility of the Raw files is outstanding
The level of detail found in every file is impressive, and although these images are all straight out of camera, the flexibility of the Raw files once you’ve dropped them into Adobe Lightroom is outstanding. The in-camera crop ended up being handy while shooting with the Q2 Monochrom, though I also appreciated that I had the option to uncrop the Raw images once imported them into Lightroom.
Pairing the Q2 Monochrom with the Leica SF 60 flash makes it a nice choice for capturing high-contrast black-and-white images. Although using a camera with a 28mm lens for shooting portraits might seem counterintuitive, the in-camera crops actually worked quite well. If you use the flash with Leica’s remote control flash unit you can easily create beautiful black-and-white portraits with the Q2 Monochrom with a very small kit.
It might initially seem like it would be limiting to use a digital camera that only shoots black-and-white images, but in the end I found it to be quite freeing. I really enjoyed that the Q2 Monochrom’s excellent EVF only allows you to see the world in monochrome, which I found helpful for paying attention to patterns, textures and light quality within a scene, especially in comparison to something like an M10 Monochrom with its optical (and therefore, full-color) viewfinder.
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| Do you need color photos? Even in black and white, it’s clear that this is a photograph of a humanoid hot dog. ISO 250 | F4 | 1/125 sec Photo by Jeanette D Moses |
Is the Q2 Monochrom for everybody? Of course not. Leica has never been known for the affordability of its cameras and, arguably, their exclusivity is part of their appeal.
The Q2 Monochrom is certainly a niche camera, but for a shooter who prefers to see the world in black-and-white it ends up being surprisingly versatile and usable. While we’ve still got to do our full testing with a production model, I found that shooting with it is simply a joyful experience, and ultimately, that’s what photography should be about.
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Please do not reproduce any of these images on a website or any newsletter / magazine without prior permission (see our copyright page).
Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)
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The Leica M10 Monochrom takes the M10 body but includes a newly-developed 40MP full-frame sensor, with no color filter array. Like previous Monochrom variants, this makes the M10 M capable of producing stunning ‘true’ black and white images. We’ve been shooting with the new Monochrom for a few days with a mixture of old and new glass. Take a look!
See our Leica M10 Monochrom sample gallery
Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)
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Leica’s new M10 Monochrom is a dedicated black and white camera with no color filter array. Combined with legendary Leica optics, it promises to deliver 41MP images in stunning detail. How much detail? Do some pixel peeping in our sample gallery.
View sample gallery
Watch DPReview TV’s review of the Leica M10 Monocrhom
Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)
The M10 Monochrom is Leica’s newest dedicated black and white rangefinder camera. Is it a street photographer’s dream come true? Chris and Jordan take it to the mean streets of Calgary to find out.
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Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)
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Leica has introduced its latest dedicated black and white rangefinder camera, the M10 Monochrom. It uses a new 40MP sensor that Leica says was ‘designed from the ground up’ to handle black and white photography. The new sensor has lowered the base ISO from 320 to 160, and Leica also claims an improvement in dynamic range.
To go along with its black and white pictures, Leica has removed any hint of color on the camera body. The neutral gray body has no red Leica badge or any scripting on top, giving it a stealthy appearance. The body is just as thin as the other M10 models and has the ISO dial they introduced. It also has the same silent shutter and touchscreen display as the M10-P. Photos can be transmitted via Wi-Fi and Leica’s Fotos app.
The M10 Monochrom is now available for $ 8295.
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Press Release
The highly anticipated camera enters a new dimension of innovation in the world of monochrome photography
January 17, 2020 – Leica Camera continues to be a trailblazer in the world of black-and-white photography with the announcement of the new Leica M10 Monochrom. Photographers are now able explore their subjects in vivid tones of monochrome due to the omission of a color filter, resulting in an unparalleled black-and-white photography experience. The newly developed 40-megapixel true black-and-white sensor, new Wi-Fi capabilities and expanded ISO range make room for added creativity with light and contrast, bringing photographers back to the basics with the most up-to-date technology.
Black-and-white photography lends itself to establishing emotional connections between the photographer and subject matter being conveyed. With the absence of color, a photograph conveys intense, vulnerable and timeless messages that speak to the foundation of a scene without the distractions of color.
The ultra-high resolution black-and-white sensor of the M10 Monochrom delivers images with impeccable sharpness and unrivalled resolution of details in all lighting conditions. While reaching these new feats of resolving prowess, the new M10 Monochrom is even more versatile than its black-and-white forebears, with a broadened sensitivity range at both extremes, now achieving ISO 160 to ISO 100,000 – ensuring that its unmatched imaging strengths can be used in new avenues, from the brightest of days to uncovering light in the darkest of nights. Images captured at all ISO settings offer fine-grained rendition of details with a more analog look and feel than a typical color camera set to black-and-white mode. As is the case with all Leica M-Cameras, the new black-and-white sensor pairs perfectly with the full breadth of Leica M-Lenses, showcasing their contrast, resolution and rendition of the finest details. With this combination, photographers can rest assured that the exceptional quality of the monochrome images they capture holds true to the luminance of their subject.
Based on the Leica M10-P, the M10 Monochrom now benefits from a bevy of newfound abilities for the Monochrom line, including a slimmer body, dedicated ISO dial, touchscreen controls, the quietest mechanical shutter of all Leica M rangefinders – analog or digital – and built-in Wi-Fi for wireless connectivity to the Leica FOTOS app on iOS, iPadOS and Android. For the first time in the history of Leica M Monochrom cameras, users can utilize a mobile workflow that gives them direct access to authentic black-and-white images straight from the camera to their favored social media platform – no digital filters required. The FOTOS 2.0 app helps bring Leica users from the decisive moment of taking the picture to the creative moment of processing and sharing the finished photo as seamlessly as possible. This new freedom ensures no boundaries when it comes to capturing and sharing photographs with a Leica camera.
The design of the M10 Monochrom camera body is as loyal to the strict adherence to the black-and-white aesthetic as the image sensor that lives within it. The camera has no Leica red dot logo on the front and all of the usual bold red engravings found on most M cameras have been desaturated to a neutral gray, creating a sleek monochromatic contrast against its bright white engraved numbers. A subtle black-on-black logotype of “Leica M10 Monochrom” on the top plate gives the camera the most minimal branding to avoid distractions. The black-and-white design details combined with the newly blacked-out shutter button and lens release make the M10 Monochrom the stealthiest serial production camera yet from Leica, emphasizing its focus on blending into the heart of the action and capturing the decisive moment.
The M10 Monochrom is built to the highest quality standards expected of a Leica M camera, made almost entirely by hand through the passionate labor of experienced specialists in Wetzlar, Germany with the finest materials, ensuring it can bear even the toughest conditions of use in its stride. The new Leica M10 Monochrom promises to be a long-term companion that delivers an unparalleled experience and impeccable image quality, as timeless as the classical black-and-white photos it creates.
The Leica M10 Monochrom is available beginning today for $ 8,295 at Leica Stores, Boutiques and Dealers.
Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)